PRESIDENT DEFENDS OPERATIONS IN CHILE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP09T00207R001000020084-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 84
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2011/08/09: CIA-RDP09T00207RO01000020084-1
President Defends
Operations i.i Chile
Ford Defends Action
By Laurence Stern
Prc"id-nt Ford defended U.S. covert the Forty Committee, an inter- was "very surprised" at Col-
political operations in Chile last night departmental panel of the NSC bv's recent revelations.
responsible for management r Asked whether, under inter--[
and said they were deli med to pt'e of those programs. national law, the United
serve the opposition press will political Ford noted that the Forty States has a right to seek to
parties after the 1970 election of the Committee reviews "every destabilize a constitutionally
late Salvador Allende. covert operation unde.rtai: an
State Department and \Flute house by our government and that elected government abroad,
spokesmen were ttnable, however. to information is relayed to the \lr. Ford said: "I'm not going
amplify on the President's assertion responsible congressional corn- to pass judgment on whether
that the Allende government attempt- mittees where it is reviewed it's prrrnitted or authorized
ed, after its accession, to destroy op- by House and Senate commit- under internation::1 tan It's a
position news meia ... and to destroy tees. recognized fact tha?, histuri-
oppositiah political parties." "It, seems to me that the tally, as well as presently,
Mr. Ford said that the covert. pro- Forty Committee should con- 1shell actions are t